


Not A Drill

by BreakfastTea



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Brotherhood, Gen, Noctis makes stuff explode, pre-game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-27
Updated: 2017-09-27
Packaged: 2019-01-06 05:04:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12204423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BreakfastTea/pseuds/BreakfastTea
Summary: When there's a fire at school, Noctis is the only person who can get people to safety.





	Not A Drill

**Author's Note:**

> This was partially inspired by the one time a teacher at my old senior school actually did start a fire. It was a tiny fire and no one was hurt. Even the school building remained largely unharmed. But these things stick with you ;)
> 
> It's also inspired by the fact that Noct's magic in the game is ridiculous and I LOVE IT.

The alarm rang midway through history. The sound drowned out the teacher’s voice. He called to everyone to evacuate. Everyone got to their feet and headed out. Another day, another fire drill.

Except, Noctis noticed on his way out, the teacher looked panicked. Wasn’t this just another regularly scheduled drill?

Stepping out into the hallway, Noctis noticed a strange smell. It weighed heavily in the cold, autumn air.

Smoke.

Conversation picked up, Noctis’ fellow students mulling over who would’ve set the school on fire. He kept his head down, his hands in his pockets, and walked to the exit, stepping around students too busy talking to walk at the same time.

“Keep moving!” the history teacher shouted. “Straight outside, please.”

Outside, the smell of smoke worsened. It smeared the air, coating everything and everyone in a thick grey haze. Heading away from the building, Noctis searched for the source of the fire. It wasn’t hard; everyone’s heads were turned the same way. Turning to see properly, he couldn’t believe what he saw.

Flames poured out of the school’s gym. The building was slightly apart from the main school, surrounded by outdoor playgrounds on one side and the staff parking lot on the other.

“Move!” the history teacher bellowed. “We need to reach the evacuation point!”

People picked up the pace, heading for the playing field furthest from the fire. Students bumped into Noctis as they rushed past him. He couldn’t tear his eyes off the fire. What if people were trapped in the gym? What if –

“Noct!” Prompto emerged from the crowd of students, his eyes wide. “Did you hear what happened? It’s crazy! They said a teacher knocked a candle over during a science demonstration.”

“What? No way is that just a candle.”

“Whatever it was, people are trapped in there. I hope the fire department gets here fast.”

“Trapped?” Noctis asked. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, but – whoa, Noct, where are you going?”

“I can help.”

Noctis had been training to use his magic for a while now. If he could absorb the fire, he could help get people out of the burning building. Or at least dampen the fire enough until real help arrived.

“I’m coming with you,” Prompto said.

“No,” Noctis said. “Stay here. You’ll be in danger if –”

“La la la, can’t hear you,” Prompto chanted. “Come on, let’s move.”

“Fine. But if anyone tries to stop us, you’ll need to distract them.”

Prompto bowed. “Yes, your highness.”

Noctis rolled his eyes.

In the chaos of trying to order an entire school’s worth of overexcited students into orderly queues, no one noticed Noctis and Prompto running away. Noctis knew the gym’s closest entrance would be the one connecting it to the main school. They’d have to run back through the school to the connecting corridor that would take the into the gym.

Inside, the smoke had thickened, a thin grey gaze covering everything. They turned a corner towards the gym, but a teacher intercepted them. She meant well, trying to herd them back to the evacuation point with the rest of her class, but Noctis knew he could help and he didn’t have time to explain it to her. He looked to Prompto, who took his cue like a pro. He gave a terrible moan, threw a hand to his head, and collapsed to the ground. Prompto even made his eyes roll back into his head.

“Oh my!” the teacher gasped.

She was at Prompto’s side. Noctis used her distraction and ran. He ducked around the corner, sprinted down the corridor, and closed in on the gym. He raced up a flight of stairs and nearly ran into the fire blocking the doorway. Over the crackling flames, he heard voices crying out for help. Behind the smoke and the fire, he could make out the sight of terrified students and their teacher huddled together.

“Hold on!” he shouted. “You’ll be out soon!”

“Get out!” the science teacher shouted. “The whole gym is on fire. It’s a damn electrical fault!”

Hand outstretched, Noctis concentrated. He had to feel the elemental energy and draw it into himself. It wasn’t easy to concentrate with so much screaming and searing heat. Using magic usually involved pulling elements out of prepared containers in one of the Citadel’s training rooms under Gladio’s (or, very occasionally, his dad’s) watchful eye. But this was different. This wasn’t calm. This wasn’t controlled. No one could help him if he got the magic wrong. He was the only thing that could save an entire class from burning to death.

Focusing on the task at hand, Noctis pulled the fire into himself. He just had to kill enough flames to free the people trapped within the gym. He could do this. He could definitely do it.

Streams of flame disappeared into his hand. Sweat peppered his forehead. His uniform glued itself to his body. The heat crushed him, inside and out. He could only hold so much inside, but the fire still blocked the gym’s entrance. If he didn’t absorb more, they wouldn’t make it out alive.

“Get ready to run!” he shouted to the trapped people.

“Okay!” the teacher shouted back. “We’re ready.”

Teeth clenched, Noctis ignored the burning heat in his body. He’d been warned about overloading himself with elemental energy. Dad had told him so many times the side-effects; uncontrolled magic, damaging internal organs, even death... But he didn’t have a choice. If he didn’t help, these people would die. The fire department wouldn’t get here in time to save everyone if he did nothing.

He finally broke through the fire enough to open a gap for the class. They all stared at him like he’d grown an extra head rather than freed them. “Go!” he bellowed.

The ragged edge to his voice spurred them into action. The class and their teacher barrelled out of the gym, coughing and hacking on the smoke choking their lungs.

Noctis released his hold on the fire. It was a huge relief to no longer be taking so much energy into himself. He needed to offload a lot of it as fast as he could, otherwise he might actually explode. Not that Dad said _literal exploding_ was a side-effect, but Noctis could feel the magic pressing against him, seeking any kind of escape. He was so hot, his vision swam with a heat haze. Every breath seared his lungs. He was soaked through with sweat, but he felt too big, like he didn’t have enough skin to cover his skeleton and it was moments away from splitting open. If the fire element won out over his self-control, he could cause real damage. He’d have to get off the school grounds, find somewhere abandoned and –

“Hey!” a boy called out from within the gym. “Don’t leave me!” He broke down into hacking coughs. “Wait, please!”

Noctis turned back to the doorway. The fire hadn’t fully reclaimed the doorway yet, but it would only take seconds to do so. The teacher had gone with the other students. Noctis, and the other boy, were alone.

Noctis crossed the threshold.

The gym burned, flames consuming the walls and stretching to the high ceiling. Thick, bitter smoke coiled and danced in the air. The heat was unbelievable. Struggling to breathe, Noctis found the boy sat on the bleachers, clutching his leg. “I’m sorry,” the boy gasped. “It’s my own stupid fault.”

“What happened?” Noctis asked.

“I tried to break a window to get us out, but then when everyone ran, I tripped and twisted.” He coughed and wheezed. “I can’t walk.”

“Okay…” Noctis looked to the doorway, but it was too late. The fire had reclaimed it. They wouldn’t be getting back out that way.

_Literally explode._

Noctis’ magic training had taught him one thing: he really lacked finesse. Really, seriously lacked the kind of finite control his father had. But the flipside of that meant what he lacked in control he really made up for with explosive power. He’d damaged so many training rooms, his father had finally relented and given him a space on the edge of Insomnia to really let rip. And right now, he was swollen with way too much elemental energy. He couldn’t hold it in. He’d never taken so much into his body before, and right now the pressure was too much. If he didn’t release it, he’d burn up from the inside out. Holding it in took a lot of concentration. The slightest slip, and the fire would take over.

“I’m sorry,” the kid wept and spluttered. “You’re gonna die because of me. I’m sorry.”

Noctis grabbed the kid and helped him down the bleachers, ignoring his cries of pain. Better he suffer than die. “What’s your name?” he asked the boy.

“Edgar,” the boy said.

“Edgar, right.” Noctis shifted their bodies so he shielded Edgar. “We’re gonna be okay. Just promise me one thing.”

“Anything!”

“Don’t tell anyone what you’re about to see.”

“What I’m about to – whoa!”

Thinking fast, mentally reviewing the school’s layout and hoping no one would be standing on the other side of a wall that backed onto the playgrounds, Noctis channelled everything into a single spell. A ball of fire slammed into the wall and obliterated the brickwork.

“Holy shit, did you just –”

Fresh air gave the flames new strength, but the sudden lack of a wall gave Noctis and Edgar a massive escape route.

“Let’s go,” Noctis said. He could breathe easy now. He felt the fire’s absence. His body temperature crashed down to normal levels. He no longer felt overstuffed. “You ready?”

“Definitely.”

Noctis dragged Edgar outside. Fresh air hit their lungs. Edgar nearly doubled over, but Noctis didn’t let him. They were both coughing and spluttering, but they weren’t safe yet, not until they were away from the fire and back with the other students.

Which might be a problem, because that was the other issue Noctis’ training had revealed. Sure, he could create massively destructive magic single-handedly, but he didn’t really have the stamina for it yet.

His legs wanted to give way. His head nodded. Sleep pummelled him, but he dodged every wave.

“You okay?” Edgar asked through hacking coughs. “Should we stop?”

“No, I’m fine.” And he was fine, if he discounted tunnelled vision and crushing exhaustion.

Sirens shrieked through the air as they plodded onwards. Brakes screeched nearby. The fire department had to be in the parking lot on the other side of the gym. Moments later, huge jets of water battled the flames. But Noctis didn’t let the sight distract him. He wanted to reach the evacuation point and sit down. He did not want to embarrass himself in front of them entire school by passing out. He’d never live it down. There was no way it wouldn’t hit the press. _Prince Noctis Collapses In School After Mysterious Fire._ No No way. He clenched his teeth, and carried on, Edgar’s arm thrown over his shoulder.

Finally, they made it back to the others. A couple of teachers spotted them and ran forward to help. He let them take Edgar, but shunned their help for himself. Noctis insisted he was _fine_ with as few words as possible. He staggered away to join the rest of his class, ignoring their stares. Prompto pushed through the orderly lines to grab him and lead him to the back of the field. Countless pairs of eyes watched them. Noctis ignored them.

“Ignis called. He’s already on his way,” Prompto said, keeping his voice low. “Said he saw the news.”

Noctis nodded. It was to be expected. News or not, Ignis had a sixth sense for danger. And, Noctis silently admitted, he was really, really glad. Because he needed to get out of here. Fast. No way could he stay awake for much longer.

“Sit down,” Prompto said. He took Noctis’ elbow and guided him to the ground. “Before you fall down.”

“Thanks.” Noctis hit the ground, his spine colliding painfully with the ground.

“What happened? The teacher passed out when realised she was missing a student. Then we all heard an explosion. What was it?”

Noctis coughed and spat the taste of ash and smoke out. “Me,” he chuckled. He coughed again. His voice sounded an octave lower than normal. “I did it.”

“You did? What? How?”

Noctis shrugged. “Magic.”

“Wait – what?! I didn’t know you could use –”

“Shh,” Noctis said. He pressed his hands to his head. A wicked headache grew there, although it was hard to tell if it was smoke inhalation or overuse of magic that was the cause. “Don’t make a big deal out of it.”

“But you… I mean… if you hadn’t –”

“I know, but no one else needs to know.” He closed his eyes. He just wanted to sleep.

“Noct, wake up. The principal’s on her way over.

Reluctantly opening his eyes, Noct saw the principal. She looked pale and stressed. She ran a hand through her short afro, dislodging chunks of ash caught in her brown curls. “Your Highness,” she said. “There’s a man here to pick you up.”

“Wow,” Prompto said. “Ignis doesn’t waste any time.”

Noctis pushed himself slowly, but firmly, to his feet. “Thank you,” he told the principal. He grabbed Prompto. “My friend’s coming too. Please ensure his teacher knows so that he is not mistakenly listed as missing.”

The principal nodded. “Of course.”

Prompto stood alongside Noctis. “Thank you, ma’am.”

“There is one more thing, Your Highness,” the principal said. “And I promise it won’t make the news, but thank you so much for your actions here. If you hadn’t have stepped in, we would’ve lost a number of students today.”

“It’s okay,” Noctis said. He could feel his cheeks reddening. “I did what anyone would do.”

“Perhaps, but not anyone can do what you can did.” She smiled at him. “I have to go, but know that I’ll never forget what you did here today.”

She dashed off. Noctis watched her go, and spotted Ignis emerging from the crowd of staff and students.

“Noct,” Ignis said. “Are you injured?”

Answering the question with a barking cough was not what Noctis meant to do.

“He went into the school to help a bunch of trapped people,” Prompto said, keeping his voice low. “And then he made the wall explode!”

“Prompto,” Noctis sighed.

“You did what?” Ignis asked.

“Can we just get out of here? I’m tired,” Noctis said. He took a step forwards, only to overbalance and tip forwards.

“Noct!” Prompto gasped.

Ignis caught him. “Magic?”

“Yeah.”

“Too much?”

Noctis forced himself not to rest his head on Ignis’ shoulder. “Probably.”

“You can rest once you’re at home.” Ignis’ nose wrinkled. “After a shower. Sadly, I think your uniform is a lost cause.”

Noctis mumbled. He couldn’t make any guarantees he’d stay awake along enough to shower, no matter how gross he felt.

Ignis turned to Prompto. “Come along.”

Prompto nodded. “Coming!”

They left the school’s grounds via a back entrance, dodging the teachers dealing with panicked parents who had arrived to collect their children. The fire-fighting effort was in full force now, the flames battered by wave after wave of water. Noctis knew that, had he stored ice, he could’ve used a Blizzard spell to knock the fire out in seconds. Maybe carrying stored magic at all times was something to consider for the future.

The sight of the car, parked on a street behind the school, was a welcome relief. Noctis climbed into the back seat and flopped over.

“You can sit up front with me,” Ignis told Prompto. “It seems Noct doesn’t feel like sharing.”

“Are you sure?” Prompto asked.

“I don’t bite,” Ignis replied.

Smirking in the back seat, Noct closed his eyes. “Wake me up when we’re home.”

* * *

The scent of freshly baked cake dragged Noctis from his nap. He opened his eyes and found himself on his couch, a blanket tucked up to his neck. He frowned. How had he gotten here? Try as he might, he couldn’t remember anything after getting in the car. Unpleasantly hot, he wiggled a foot free, relishing the sensation of cold air on his toes.

Wait… where had his socks and shoes gone?

“It’s aliiiiiiiiive!” Prompto announced from somewhere nearby.

“Time to get up, Noct,” Ignis added. “You should eat. Regain your strength.”

“And shower.” This came from Gladio. “I can smell you from here.”

Suddenly aware of exactly _how_ he’d gotten from the car to the couch, Noctis groaned and sat up. He peered at his friends. Ignis was in the kitchen, apron on. Gladio was at the table, reading a book. Prompto sat on the far end of the couch, cake batter clinging to his hair.

“Did you get into a fight?” Noctis asked.

“What? Oh!” Prompto brushed his hair with a hand. “I was helping out.”

“You were?”

“Sure. And if some of the cake landed in my hair, that just means I’m still learning.”

“Uh huh.” Noctis stretched and yawned. He felt better. Magic always sapped his energy, but every time the effect lessened. Maybe one day he’d actually be able to use high level magic without needing to sleep afterwards to recover.

“You have time to shower,” Ignis called from the kitchen.

Noctis yawned. Rubbing his eyes, he got to his feet. He shuffled forwards, slamming into the coffee table. “Ow.”

“Need a hand?” Gladio asked.

“No.”

Ten minutes later, Noctis emerged from the bathroom in black sweats, feeling cleaner and smelling fresher. He found his friends gathered at the breakfast bar, where a large chocolate cake waited alongside a pot of freshly made tea.

Ignis looked over. “Are you feeling better?” he asked.

“Yeah, thanks.”

Ignis handed over a bottle of water. “Drink.”

Noctis chugged the whole bottle. He felt his headache slide away, along with the residual dryness in his throat. His stomach gurgled at the sight of cake. “Any news from school?”

“The damage was limited to the gym,” Ignis said. He sliced the cake and handed out the pieces. “The school will remain closed until next week for essential safety checks.”

“Woo hoo, a week off!” Prompto declared.

“A week off with homework,” Ignis said. “Your teachers have forwarded appropriate assignments.”

“And you’re not getting out of training,” Gladio said. “Even if your magic’s stronger than before, it’s still wiping you out.”

“It’s better than it was,” Noctis said. “I mean, I woke up tonight, didn’t I?”

“You normally don’t wake up the same day?” Prompto asked.

“It’s been known to happen,” Noctis mumbled. The first time he’d really gone overboard, at the grand age of thirteen, he’d slept for two days straight.

“It’s not good enough,” Gladio said, spearing a chunk of chocolate cake. “You need to reach a point where spells like that don’t knock you out at all.”

“Yeah, yeah.” A thought suddenly occurred to him. “Does Dad know about the school?”

“The king has been informed,” Ignis said.

Noctis nodded. Maybe his dad would stop by. Maybe he’d send a message. Maybe he was too busy for either. Whatever.

“It’s all over the news. Even my parents heard about it,” Prompto said. “Mom was pretty relieved when I told her I was okay and staying with my best friend.”

“For the week,” Ignis said. “You can support each other with your school work.”

“And videogames,” Prompto said.

“Once your work is complete,” Ignis replied. “Just because you cannot attend school doesn’t mean you can neglect your studies.”

“You are no fun,” Prompto muttered.

“Ignis isn’t here to ensure you have fun,” Gladio said, with a grin. “He’s here to ensure you’re properly educated.”

“Precisely,” Ignis said.

Prompto sighed. “Fine.”

They ate and drank in silence, until Prompto crumbled. “So, can I ask a few questions?”

“What about?” Noctis asked.

“About you. About magic.”

“Sure.”

“Can you do that all the time? Like, if I wanted you to light a candle on a birthday cake, could you use magic?”

“Not unless he wanted to burn the entire kitchen down,” Ignis said.

Gladio laughed. “It’s true. That’s why his dad’s kicked him out of the Citadel’s training halls.”

“You got kicked out?” Prompto asked. “Seriously?”

“He didn’t kick me out,” Noctis said. “He just didn’t want me damaging anything else.”

“You are not known your delicate touch,” Ignis said.

“Delicate? Noct’s a behemoth in a glass factory,” Gladio said.

“I’m working on it,” Noctis mumbled.

“But you can break down walls?” Prompto asked.

“Is that what you did?” Gladio whistled. “Nice!”

“A wall, Noct?” Ignis asked.

Noctis shot him a look. “You’re not gonna faint, are you?”

“What other magic can you do?” Prompto asked.

“Fire, Blizzard, and Thunder. When I mix in certain things, I can get other effects.”

Prompto leaned in, wonder shining in his eyes. “Like what?”

“I can create magic that will heal me, or add poison to the other spells.”

“Poison? Like… like…” Prompto made vomiting noises.

“Yeah, don’t be in the way when he sets one of those off,” Gladio said.

“How many more times do I have to say I’m sorry about that?” Noctis asked. “And it’s not like you’re the only one who got hit. I was just as sick as you.”

“Kinda sounds like you suck,” Prompto said.

“I don’t suck! I just use too much power and either blow stuff up, freeze things that don’t need freezing, or electrocute everyone standing nearby.”

“Or poison everyone,” Gladio said.

“Yeah and that,” Noctis said with a sigh.

“And that’s not good?” Prompto asked.

“Not for the people standing too close,” Noctis said.

“And not for yourself, either,” Ignis said.

“You’ve electrocuted yourself?” Prompto asked.

“Yeah,” Noctis admitted glumly. He’d burnt himself and given himself hypothermia one time after he’d really gone all out with a Blizzard spell. “I’m working on it.”

“You didn’t burn yourself today, so you did something right,” Gladio said. “But how did you blow out the wall?”

Noctis gave a brief summary of the day’s events.

“You absorbed the fire?” Ignis asked. He frowned. “You aren’t suffering any of the usual effects when you absorb too much elemental energy.”

Noctis peeked up at Ignis. “Why do you think the wall came down?”

“What?”

“I didn’t have a choice.”

“I appreciate you had to help those trapped inside, but bringing down an entire wall because –”

“Whoa, wait, no, that’s not what happened!” Prompto said.

“It isn’t?” Ignis asked.

“No! There was a student trapped in there. Noct saved him!”

Ignis turned to Noctis, who squirmed under the scrutiny.

“I had to help,” Noctis said. “Taking the wall out was the only option.”

“You did good, Noct,” Gladio said.

A tiny smile touched Noctis’ lips. “Thanks.”

“Perhaps one evening of videogames won’t do you any harm,” Ignis said.

“Really?” Noctis said.

“One evening,” Ignis said.

“And pizza,” Gladio said. “We’ll even have it delivered.”

“I don’t mind cooking,” Ignis said.

“You can take a day off,” Gladio said.

“Ensure at least one pizza includes salad,” Ignis said.

“Salad doesn’t belong on pizza,” Noctis said.

“It does this time,” Ignis said.

Leaving Ignis and Gladio to order in the food, Noctis reached over and grabbed his console’s controllers. He tossed one to Prompto. “RPG or FPS?”

“RPG! But only because you suck so hard at FPS’.”

“I do not suck,” Noctis said.

“You don’t even last five seconds against me. It’s boring playing against you.”

Noctis crossed his legs. “It’s not my fault you’re so good at targeting anything that moves.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. You’re the best marksman I have ever known and kicks all kinda videogame ass. I’ll never be as good as you,” Noctis said.

Prompto took a bow. “But I’ll never be able to bust down walls with magic.”

“The city only needs one out uncontrolled magic wielder,” Ignis said.

“I am not out of control,” Noctis said over the sound of the game’s dramatic menu screen theme.

“Nah, he’s just enthusiastic,” Prompto said.

“You get hit by one of his poison spells, see how you like it,” Gladio said.

“You just wait,” Noctis grumbled. “One day you’ll all be glad I can blow stuff up.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


End file.
